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Bequests and Wills

One of the simplest ways to make a Legacy Gift is by naming the Foundation in your will. A bequest is a meaningful way to support the Foundation without affecting your cash flow during your lifetime. Your attorney can include it when you prepare or revise your will, or you can add a codicil at any time. There are several types of bequests, including specific, residiuary, and contingency as described below and can be made with or without restrictions:

A Specific Bequest

A specific bequest indicates the amount of cash, securities, or other assets you wish to leave to benefit the Foundation. Or, it can indicate a specific percentage of the total value of your estate.

Sample Language for a Specific Bequest

“I give, devise, and bequeath to the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation the sum of dollars ($ X.XX) as an unrestricted gift, to be used at the sole discretion of the Foundation.”

Or, you can make a bequest for specific assets, such as securities, real estate, or personal property. Please be as specific as possible in identifying the asset.

“I give, devise, and bequeath to the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation my [insert description or identifying information of the asset], to be used and/or disposed of, as the Foundation determines, in its sole discretion, for its benefit.”

A Residuary Bequest

A residuary bequest leaves the remaining "residual" portion of your estate (or a percentage of the total) after all other bequests have been satisfied.

Sample Language for a Residuary Bequest

“I give, devise, and bequeath to the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation X percent of the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate as an unrestricted gift, to be used at the sole discretion of the Foundation.”

A Contingency Bequest

You can make the Foundation the recipient of a contingency bequest, which takes into account the possibility of a change in your beneficiary’s circumstances. For example, you might leave the Foundation a bequest if another heir predeceases you.

Sample Language for a Contingency Bequest

“I give, devise, and bequeath [insert beneficiary name] X percent of the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate if s/he survives me. If [insert beneficiary name] does not survive me, I give, devise, and bequeath to the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation, X percent of the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate as an unrestricted gift, to be used at the sole discretion of the Foundation.”

Unrestricted and Restricted Gifts

Gifts that do not restrict the Foundation’s use (unrestricted gifts) are especially appreciated by the Foundation as they allow the Foundation to channel resources where the needs are the greatest.

The Foundation is equally grateful for gifts that are designated for a specific purpose that advances its mission (restricted gifts), such as support to a specific initiative or program such as the Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock, Arkansas, for example.

If you are interested in making a restricted bequest, it is important that you include the following “alternative use” language to ensure that the Foundation may re-designate the use of your gift if the specified initiative, program, or purpose ceases to exist or does not require funds at some point in the future:

Sample Alternative Use Language for Restricted Bequests

“I give, devise, and bequeath to the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation the sum of dollars ($ X.XX) to be used for the [insert name of Clinton Foundation program] for so long as the Foundation determines that the need exists. Should the program or its funding need no longer exist, the Foundation may, in its sole discretion, direct the use of my bequest for a purpose related as closely as possible to my original intent.”